All purpose feeder bowl



p 29, 1964 J. D. TRICINC] 3,150,762

ALL PURPDSE FEEDER BOWL Filed Feb. 9, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 Fig.1

55 3A g I l 0 4 1 -23 5?? a I l I 24 44 53 5 1- INVEN TOR.

JOHN D. Te/c/uc Sept. 29, 1964 J. D. TRlClNCl ALL PURPOSE FEEDER BOWL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1962 INVENTOR. Jomu D. Ric/MC H15 A we 205v Sept. 29, 1964 J. D. TRICINCI ALL. PURPOSE FEEDER BOWL Filed Feb. 9, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 e5 Q 4 e2 ji1" 4 L3 INVENTOR.

J01! D. Weld/MCI H/s A rraens Y United States Patent .0

3,150,762 ALL PURPOSE FEEDER BOWL John D. Tricinci, Homer City, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Link-Belt Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 172,320 5 Claims. (Cl. 198-33) This invention relates generally to feeder bowls and more particularly to a feeder bowl having a series of orienting means each of which is variable to permit the bowl to be used in properly orienting and feeding different groups of parts of different shapes and magnitude from the same bowl.

The problem in the field is to enable one to employ the same bowl feeder motor to supply at consecutive periods, different parts or different sizes of the same part in a production line for assembly, for machinery, for packaging or for other purposes. The parts in each case must be properly oriented and supplied at the proper rate even though they may have an entirely different configuration. At first it was believed expedient to change the bowls on the same motor. This entails the use of a different bowl for each part and soon the stock in bowls becomes burdensome. Then, too, the different bowls had different discharge members and considerable time is involved in merely changing bowls.

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages in that only one bowl is selected and this bowl has a series of all purpose orienting or selecting means together with a single discharge to the same point in assembly or machine. Each of these orienting means is selectively variable to suit the purpose of the particular orientation and selection so that each member may be regulated to properly perform its function for the particular size and configuration of the part to be passed through the bowl. These orienting members for this all purpose bowl include a vertically adjustable wiper that prevents the parts at the outset from being conveyed one upon the other. Thus if this wiper is set to allow only a little greater height than that of a single part all the stocked or parts riding on one another are shoved back into the bowl. This wiper is parallel with the track that usually slopes toward the wall and thus prevents no more than one layer of parts to pass this wiper.

The next selector is the riser. This is for the purpose of producing a step in the track. This is a flexible track section flush with the track surface at its leading edge while its trailing edge forms a step made high enough for the part to tumble and correct itself. A profile in the step provides a longitudinal selection which may aid the function of tumbling; If tumbling is unnecessary this riser section may be adjustably lowered to have both ends flush with the adjacent track surfaces.

In most instances long or cylindrical parts are conveyed from the bottom of the bowl lying down, if not, they are pushed over after passing under a first wiper and they pass up the step riser in this manner.

The step riser is adjusted to a height so that these parts will tumble to their upright position and they are thereafter selected as to which is the proper end up. If one end of the part has a screwdriver slot it forms the basis for the next selection. A flange nearer one end may then be the basis of a part for the next selection. An annular groove nearer one end of the part may be the basis for the next selection. If the part has a large diameter cup with an axial stem, the cup may arrive and drop off the step in its upright position, which position is then checked by a wiper. A profile in the step may topple a bottle shaped part in which the stem should lead the body part, but if the body portion leads the profile in the 3,150,762 Patented Sept. 29, 1964 ice step it will project it into a rejecting path such as by air or cutout. When a part is properly oriented the bulk of the part is generally low or adjacent the track surface; Thus if improperly oriented an air jet will readily blow it back into the bowl and the properly oriented parts pass under the air jet without being affected by the jet. Thus the step may be a profile selector.

The outstanding feature of this invention is in the fact that the feeder bowl is flexible for automation of all kinds of parts in place of one specific part. It may be readily changed for short production run of parts.

The next orienting item is preferably a lateral selection by the use of profiles in the inside edge of the track.

This is preferably constructed as a track section that is fiush at both ends with the bowl track surface and is adustable radially of the bowl and covers an inwardly and downwardly sloping cutout. Thus a profile in along the inner edge of this adjustable section of track together with the adjustable width of this track section will allow only properly oriented parts to pass. for passing cups or hollow bodies closed at one end and the open end is to be delivered facing up.

7 This same radially adjustable track section may be used wlth an adjustable overhanging fence that retains properly oriented parts on the edge of this radially adjustable track section while the improperly oriented parts fall back into the bowl. This fence is adjustable vertically as well as radially relative to the radially adjustable track. With this structure a great number of parts may be properly oriented by adjustment of these orienting means.

. The fourth all purpose adjustable means is to insure the feeding of an adequate number of parts per unit of time but will readily spill the parts in single file back into the bowl if for some reason the discharge is not accepting as many parts as the bowl is willing to deliver. A jam or a slowdown in the delivery of the parts does not permit the feeder bowl to further jam them, but merely continues to feed the properly oriented parts back into the bowl until the discharge again accepts these parts. This is accomplished by swinging an abutment from the wall and in the direction of travel of the parts, out over the track so that only one part can feed around this abutment at a time. If the track immediately beyond the abutment is filled then the parts cant pass the abutment and the part ahead merely shoves them off the track back into the bowl. In this manner there are always a goodly supply of parts immediately when the parts in discharge move.

. The last adjustable part to this all purpose bowl is the discharge. It is provided with a track in dual parts one being adjustable relative to the other to produce a solid bottom track or a slotted track when separated for dis charging parts with depending stems. This adjustable member also provides an adjustable wall guide to keep 1 the parts from moving laterally and an adjustable top guide to hold them from jumping off the track or from disorienting themselves.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplification without limiting this invention or the claims thereto, certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the feeder bowl comprising this invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the feeder bowl in side elevation.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the wiper taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the riser taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

This is particularly good 'FIG. is a sectional view of the track and fence taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the back pressure member taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the profile track and nozzle taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of portable discharge track taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an end view of the discharge shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1 the bowl 1 is provided with a conical base 2 arranged to be secured to a frame supported by the inclined springs symmetrically mounted relative to the vertical central axis 3 for movement in an inclined arcuate path about the axis 3 for reciprocation along said path to provide a feeding action for the parts within the bowl 1. The conical bottom 2 delivers the parts toward the perimetral wall 4 where they may be fed upwardly around the inclined spiral track 5 that starts at 6 from the conical bottom of the bowl and passing upwardly around an inclined plane to the discharge 7. This spiral track extends helically about the axis 3 following a gradual inclined slope to the end of the track as it leaves the bowl 1.

The track 5 in this all purpose feeder bowl follows an inclined slope from the wall 8 with the bottom 2 and vertical riser wall 10 for approximately 225 where an offset 11 is formed in the casting of the bowl to produce the step 12 in the vertical wall 10. This step is made in the vertical wall 10 for the purpose of mounting the base 13 of the wiper member 14 which may be clamped in place by the clamping plate 15 secured to the wall 10 by means of the cap screw 16. The offset 11 in the vertical wall 10 causes the parts being conveyed along the track 5 to move away or veer from the vertical wall 10 so their movement on the track 5 will not interfere with the leading edge of the metal clamping plate 15. This clamping plate 15 has a threaded opening to receive the clamping screws 16 and the base 13 of the wiper 14 is provided with a pair of parallel slots to permit the wiper 14 to be raised at adjustable heights above the surface of the track 5 to permit the passage of only one part and all of the stacked parts or parts lying on top of each other are caused to be wiped into the back end of the bowl as the lowermost part is fed forwardly under the bottom of the wiper 14. If the parts are of such configuration so that they do not require a wiper of this character, the wiper, of course, may be dispensed with. However, most parts that do not have upwardly projecting sections may have a tendency to stack one upon the other, in which case, it is necessary to employ a wiper of this nature to insure that the parts leaving the wiper are not carrying additional parts regardless of how many parts may occupy tracks in abreast. Thus it will be assumed that all the parts passing the wiper 14 will represent but a single layer of parts.

The next adjustable element is that of the riser 17 which fits in a recess 18 making it flush with the surface of the track 5 at both ends thereof when the riser is not employed but adjustably clamped in its lowermost position. The riser 17 is secured by the screw members 20 adjacent its leading edge, and its intermediate portion is provided with the depending stems 21 which operate in the slots 22 of the subportion of the track. A threaded opening 23 is provided to receive the set screw 24 the end of which is cup shaped to engage and lock the stems 21 at the preselected position of the riser 17. This produces a step 25 at the trailing end of the riser 17 which causes the parts to tumble when being progressively fed up the riser. The parts falling off the step 25 will land on the track surface 5 and if the parts are in their properly oriented position they will retain this position but if the parts are improperly oriented the tumbling action will right the parts in their proper oriented position. In some cases the trailing edge of the riser may be cut out with a configuration that will aid the parts in tumbling from the step 25 and thus properly orient them as they fall to the surface of the track 5 beyond the riser.

As the parts continue upwardly along the track they approach the next orienting device which provides for a radially adjustable track section 26 which is secured by the upwardly extending cap screws 27 received in the threaded six bossesv These threaded cap screws clamp the radially movable track section 26 against the upper surface of the slot 28 and thus hold the adjustable track section against radial as Well as vertical movement. However, the slot 28 is preferably made just as wide as the track section 26 and when clamped in place its upper surface is flush with the adjacent surface of the track 5. When the radial adjustable track section 26 is moved to its innermost position, it will completely occupy the same length of track section between adjacent surface of the track 5. As shown, the inner edge 30 of this track section 26 is straight rather than arcuate and may be provided with profiles 29 to cooperate with the parts such as a hollow or cap shaped member or closed tube or cup which if inverted would coincide with the profiles causing the articles to tumble back into the bowl.

In order to aid the articles to tumble back into the bowl the surface of the track 5 has been cut out as indicated at 31 for the full width of the adjustable track section 26 as illustrated in FIG. 5. This cut out section 31 permits the article to fall off the edge of the track and tumble back into the bowl.

This track section 26 is also provided with an overhanging fence 32 which is held in position by the set screws 33 in the radially adjustable rack or frame 34 that is movable through the spaced slots 35 and clamped by the set screws 36. This rack or frame 34 is C-shaped as illustrated in FIG. 1. The remote ends of the fence section 32 are curved towards the center of the bowl as illustrated at 37 so as to allow the parts to freely enter between the fence and the track section 26. The part, if properly oriented, may be carried along against the inner edge 30 of the adjustable track section 26 and the fence; 32. The fence 32 is also C-shaped with its legs extending upwardly through the slots 33 for clamping by the set screws 33 and this fence, which would normally be set to be parallel with the inclined track 5, may be set so as to increase or decrease its relationship with the inner edge 30 on the adjustable tracks 26 which in some instances may aid in properly orienting a part when supported by the fence and the track section 26.

In most instances the parts, having passed the adjustable track section 26 and the fence 32, are properly oriented and they proceed upwardly along the track 5 to the back pressure member 40 which comprises the fiat lateral flange 41 and the vertical flange 42 formed integrally with each other. The lateral flange 41 extends through the slot 43 and is secured by the set screws 44 against the upper surface of the slot 43, the under surface of lateral flange 41 riding on the surface of the track 5. The inner face of the vertical wall 42 of the back pressure member 40 is arcuate and follows the wall 10 of the track. The wall 10 at the leading edge of the back pressure member has an offset 45 which produces a pocket 46 in which the leading edge of the vertical wall 42 is seated. Thus the back pressure member 40 may be adjustably positioned across any desired portion of the surface of the track 5 and locked in such adjusted position by the set screws 44. Thus any part that can be conveyed along the track 5 may employ this adjustable back pressure member 40 to prevent the parts from jamming against those parts aligned in the discharge when the parts in discharge are not being accepted. This permits the oncoming parts to be moved toward the center of the bowl by the vertical wall 42 of the back pressure member 40 until they just touch the rear of the next succeeding part passed the back pressure member. Thus the oncoming part upon striking the next succeeding part will be fed directly back into the bowl and permit a continuous movement of the parts along the track to this back pressure member 40 rather than to arrest the movement of the parts back to the starting point 6. This continuous movement over the initial portion of the track provides an immediate succession of parts to discharge when the discharge starts to move. Thus with this adjustable back pressure member 40 a considerable arrangement of different sizes and shapes of parts may be controlled by this device.

The next section in the all purpose bowl is the inwardly adjustable track section 50 which is not radial but the leading and trailing edges of which lie in planes parallel to one of the major axes passing through the center of the bowl at the point of tangency of the discharge 7.

The inner edge 51 of this adjustable track section is curved to match the inner edge of the track 5, and as shown in FIG. 7, this track section 50 is adjustably slidable in the slot 52 and is held in position by the set screws 53 against the upper surface of the slot 52 in any desired position from that wherein it fully mates with the adjacent sections of the track 5 to where it is provided with a relatively narrow width sufiicient merely to support the part being fed to the discharge 7.

The inner edge 51 of the adjustable track section 50 may likewise be provided with profiles which will cooperate with an improperly oriented part and cause the same to tumble back into the bowl. The improperly oriented part matching the profile so as to cause it to be overbalanced and drop toward the center of the bowl as it is being fed by vibratory action upwardly along the track.

To aid such an operation an air jet 54 is adjustably mounted in the wall so as to direct its stream of air against the part that is improperly oriented causing it to be blown back into the bowl. The adjustable track section 59 operates in combination with the jet 54 to be effective in selectively dislodging improperly oriented parts. Again this jet of air may be adjusted so as to direct its air blast to the right so as to aid in moving the parts in being delivered to the discharge 7.

The next succeeding adjustable device in this all purpose bowl is the discharge 7 which is provided with a laterally movable track section 55 adjusted toward and away from the center of the bowl in the slot 56 and secured against the upper surface of this slot by the set screws 57. Here again the track section 55 is adjustable in a direction parallel to a transverse plane normal to the major axes of the bowl from the point of tangency to the center of the bowl and its leading and trailing edges are parallel to each other and to a vertical plane including this major axis. By loosening the set screws 57 one may adjust the inner edge 58 of this track section 55 toward and away from the center of the bowl.

An opposed adjustable track section 60 is provided inwardly of the track section 55, and as shown in FIG. 8 is provided with spaced inwardly projecting arms 61 and 62 that pass through the slots 63 and 64 in the wall of the bowl. The slot 63 is provided with an inclined face 65 which matches an inclined face 66 on the arm 61. The inner edge 67 of the track section 60 may be adjusted to engage the edge 58 of the adjustable track section 55 so as to provide a solid track in the discharge 7. However, when the track section 60 is spaced from the track section 55 a gap 68 is formed between the adjacent edges 58 and 67 of the adjustable track sections 55 and 60.

When the track section 60 is properly positioned it may be held in place by the set screws 70 which are fixed against the arm 62 that causes the arm 61 to interengage the inclined surfaces 65 and 66 thereby locking the track section 60 in any desired position.

Aside from the two track members 55 and 60 of the discharge 7 the wall 10 of the discharge is provided with the vertically adjustable top guide 71 having a vertical flange 72 adjustably secured by the set screw 73 passing through a vertical slot in the flange 72. The under face of the top guide 71 thus engages the parts whose depending portion extends between the adjacent edges 58 and 67 of the slot 68 and prevent the part from jumping out of the slot during discharge.

The vertical guide wall 74 is provided with a horizontal flange 75 adjustably secured by the set screws 76 for adjustably positioning the vertical wall 74 relative to the parts supported by the tracks 55 and 60 so as to prevent them from becoming askew or otherwise disarranged when passing through the discharge 7 as shown in FIG. 9.

I claim:

1. An all purpose parts feeder bowl mounted for vibratory reciprocation to feed different successive groups of parts and consisting of a bowl having a conical bottom and a perimetral wall provided with an upwardly extending inclined helical track, a plurality of undercuts in said track, a riser in said first undercut to match the track surface and having its leading end flush with the track and its trailing end adjustably held at different elevations above the adjacent track surface to form a step, the second and third undercut having at least a portion thereof sloping to said bowl, a plate adjustbly set in said second undercut to match with said track and cover a selected portion of the sloping part of the undercut, said plate having selectively notched profiles along its inner edge to return inverted parts back into the bowl, an overhanging fence adjustably secured to said wall for cooperating with the adjusted position of the inner edge of said plate to retain properly oriented parts on said plate, a second plate set in said third undercut and limiting the parts to a single line by reason of its width, a back pressure member mounted to be adjustably positioned diagonally across said track leaving sufiicient track width to pass the parts in single file from whence they travel to the track section therebeyond which if occupied forces the approaching part back into the bowl, and a discharge member supported from the bowl at the end of said track and including a pair of opposed track sections adjustable relative to each other to form a solid track in one position and a slotted track in another position, said elements being readjusted to cooperate in producing selective orientation for successive groups of parts to provide flexible automation without replacing the bowl.

2. The all purpose feeder bowl of claim 1 including an air jet nozzle adjustably mounted on said bowl to direct its jet of air against improperly oriented articles being fed along the track to push them back into the bowl.

3. A parts feeder bowl mounted for vibratory reciprocation to feed parts and consisting of a bowl having a bottom and a perimetral wall provided with an upwardly extending inclined helical track, an undercut in said track having at least a portion sloping back into said bowl, a plate adjustably set in said undercut to match with said track and cover a selected portion of the sloping part of the undercut, said plate having notched profiles along its inner edge to return inverted parts to said bowl, said plate cooperating in producing selective orientation for successive groups of parts to provide flexible automation without replacing the bowl.

4. A parts feeder bowl mounted for vibratory reciprocation to feed parts and consisting of a bowl having a bottom and a perimetral wall provided with an upwardly extending inclined helical track, an undercut in said track having at least a portion sloping back into said bowl, a plate adjustably set in said undercut to match with said track and cover a selected portion of the sloping part of the undercut, an overhanging fence adjustably secured to said wall for cooperating with the adjusted position of the inner edge of said plate to retain properly oriented parts on said plate, said plate and fence cooperating in producing selective orientation for successive groups of parts to provide flexible automation without replacing the bowl.

5. A parts feeder bowl mounted for vibratory reciprocation to feed parts and consisting of a bowl having a bottom and a perimetral wall provided with an upwardly extending inclined helical track, a discharge member supported from said bowl at the end of said track and. including a pair of opposed track sections adjustable relative to each other to form a solid track in one position and a slotted track in another position, said discharge portion cooperating with the end of said track in selectively carrying successive groups of parts from the bowl to provide flexible automation without replacing the bowl, and a wall guide adjustably mounted on one of said opposed track sections to retain the part between its Wall and the bowl wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bounty Aug. 29, 1939 Balsiger Sept. 9, 1952 Spurlin July 16, 1957 Spurlin Dec. 13, 1960 Yoshikawa Nov. 7, 1961 Hawkes Dec. 12, 1961 Prutton Dec. 18, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Aug. 2, 1956 

1. AN ALL PURPOSE PARTS FEEDER BOWL MOUNTED FOR VIBRATORY RECIPROCATION TO FEED DIFFERENT SUCCESSIVE GROUPS OF PARTS AND CONSISTING OF A BOWL HAVING A CONICAL BOTTOM AND A PERIMETRAL WALL PROVIDED WITH AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING INCLINED HELICAL TRACK, A PLURALITY OF UNDERCUTS IN SAID TRACK, A RISER IN SAID FIRST UNDERCUT TO MATCH THE TRACK SURFACE AND HAVING ITS LEADING END FLUSH WITH THE TRACK AND ITS TRAILING END ADJUSTABLY HELD AT DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS ABOVE THE ADJACENT TRACK SURFACE TO FORM A STEP, THE SECOND AND THIRD UNDERCUT HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF SLOPING TO SAID BOWL, A PLATE ADJUSTABLY SET IN SAID SECOND UNDERCUT TO MATCH WITH SAID TRACK AND COVER A SELECTED PORTION OF THE SLOPING PART OF THE UNDERCUT, SAID PLATE HAVING SELECTIVELY NOTCHED PROFILES ALONG ITS INNER EDGE TO RETURN INVERTED PARTS BACK INTO THE BOWL, AN OVERHANGING FENCE ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO SAID WALL FOR COOPERATING WITH THE ADJUSTED POSITION OF THE INNER EDGE OF SAID PLATE TO RETAIN PROPERLY ORIENTED PARTS ON SAID PLATE, A SECOND PLATE SET IN SAID THIRD UNDERCUT AND LIMITING THE PARTS TO A SINGLE LINE BY REASON OF ITS WIDTH, A BACK PRESSURE MEMBER MOUNTED TO BE ADJUSTABLY POSITIONED DIAGONALLY ACROSS SAID TRACK LEAVING SUFFICIENT TRACK WIDTH TO PASS THE PARTS IN SINGLE FILE FROM WHENCE THEY TRAVEL TO THE TRACK SECTION THEREBEYOND WHICH IF OCCUPIED FORCES THE APPROACHING PART BACK INTO THE BOWL, AND A DISCHARGE MEMBER SUP- 